Rules

Characters have six main stats, and some characters receive a special stats. Special stats are rare, and how they work will be explained when they come up.

• • Strength: Measures a character’s brawn.

  • Dexterity: Measures a character’s quickness.

  • Constitution: Measures a character’s hardiness.

  • Intelligence: Measures a character’s smarts.

  • Wisdom: Measures a character’s understanding.

  • Charisma: Measures a character’s influence.

Each of these stats start at varying numbers depending on one’s species, and increase or decrease depending on the character’s species. Without species involved, however, a character has a 0 in each of these stats and advance these ability scores through character creation first. Characters receive additional bonuses to their stats from items, and from advancing in experience.

The number of a character's stat also indicates the bonus that character receives in tests related to that stat. So a 1 in Strength like the human above has is equal to a +1 on a roll. The same rule applies for a negative stat (such as a -1 Strength).

Characters move at a pace of 6 squares normally unless otherwise stated, and each character unless otherwise stated has a reach of 1 square. Some weapons and or gear can increase a character’s reach.

Hit Points

Hit Points: (often abbreviated as HP) is how much damage a character can take before they are killed. Each class has different values for a character’s HP, however it is (almost!) always modified by Constitution. When a character is reduced to 0 HP, they begin bleeding out. With this process, they are instantly set to "knocked unconscious" on the condition track, meaning they are helpless. This character has a number of rounds remaining until they are dead equal to 2 + their Constitution score.

Hit Dice: When creating a character, selecting feats, or reading up on various effects they may see "Hit Dice" as a term used. Hit Dice is usually equal to the amount of dice one has in their HP. This is typically employed with regards to things that affect or are related to HP. When first selecting their class, they're considered to have one Hit Dice (the starting HP granted is considered that Hit Dice). The dice rolled thereafter that adds to HP are additional Hit Dice.

Wound Thresholds: Each character has a Wound Threshold equal to their Fortitude Defense. If a single attack deals damage over the character’s Wound Threshold they moving down the condition track. The condition track goes as follows:

-1, -2, -5, and -10

Once a character is moved down the condition track after being brought to -10 the character is knocked unconscious. A character knocked unconscious in this way is still helpless, just like if they had been reduced to 0 HP. They also take the -10 penalty as usual. The various penalties listed on the condition track apply on all d20 rolls. Characters move 1 step up on the wound threshold for every 5 minutes spent out of combat.

Note: If a character has a negative constitution, they don't double it (so a -1 Con would mean you have your Starting HP -1 and each Hit Dice is that Hit Die and then -1) In addition, with a negative Constitution the rounds until dead stops at 0 meaning at 0 HP they die instantly.

Attack Bonus

Attack Bonus: Is a bonus each class possesses which indicates their skill in hitting physically with a weapon or accurately with spell attacks. There are three types of Attack Bonus, as presented below.

Attack Bonus +2 (Fast) | Attack Bonus +1 (Medium) | Attack Bonus +0 (Slow)

Soldiers possess a Fast Attack Bonus, Rogues and Factotums possess a Medium Attack Bonus, and finally Mages and Priests possess a Slow Attack Bonus.

Defenses

Characters have three defenses: Fortitude Defense, Reflex Defense, and Will Defense. Attacks will go against these three defenses; attacks against Fortitude Defense include poisons and strangulation, attacks against Reflex Defense include physical attacks and avoiding flying debris, and finally attacks against Will Defense include resisting fear and various magical effects.

• • Fortitude Defense is based on 10 + Constitution + Class Bonus + Miscellaneous

  • Reflex Defense is based on 10 + Dexterity + Class Bonus + Miscellaneous

  • Will Defense is based on 10 + Wisdom + Class Bonus + Miscellaneous

Bonus Types

The various types of bonuses are as follows:

• • Circumstance: Conditional factors that impact the success of the task at hand.

  • Competence: Affects a character’s performance of a particular task.

  • Deflection: Magical defenses that affect ones defenses.

  • Dodge: Physical skill at avoiding blows and other ill effects.

  • Sacred/Profane: Bonuses granted by divine sources.

  • Insight: Precognitive bonuses allowing for increased performance.

  • Luck: Represents good (or bad) fortune.

• Racial: Cultural or innate bonuses or penalties.

• Size: Bonuses derived from a creature’s size category.

Only circumstance, dodge, and luck bonuses stack. The rest use the highest modifier available.

Some bonuses may have their own special categories (example: Magic bonus to Strength), in these cases unless otherwise specified the bonuses take the highest modifier available rather than the bonus stacking.

Size Chart

Creatures come in many different sizes, though the typical size for the player species is Medium. This chart is meant to detail the aspects of each size, its bonuses, and penalties. The ability mods section of this size chart is only applied to monsters, not player characters who start as a larger or smaller species or characters who increase their size through magic (unless it states they gain these bonuses).

Weapon Sizes: For the sizes of manufactured weapons, check this chart. The attack penalty is instead reversed for grapple checks (with larger creatures gaining a bonus and smaller creatures receiving a penalty).

Natural Reach of 0: If a creature has a natural reach of 0 (being Tiny or smaller sized), they must enter the square of the person they wish to attack. This provokes an attack from the person they're entering the square of. They cannot provoke attacks of opportunity if they have a reach of 0.

Defense Bonuses: Some creatures have various bonuses added to their Defenses. These include natural armor (RefDef), natural hardiness (FortDef), and mental resistance (WillDef). This is added to a creature to round out their Defenses and cover up weaknesses.

Natural Weapons: Creatures with natural attacks apply Strength to their melee attacks and Dexterity to their ranged attacks (both to attack and damage). If the creature has more than two or more natural attacks, they can make attacks with all of them as a full-round attack, though penalties may apply. Creatures are always proficient with their natural weapons.

If a creature (not a playable Species) is tiny sized or smaller, they gain Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. In addition to this, they count all of their natural attacks as if they had the Finesse quality.

Natural Attacks fall into two categories: Primary and Secondary. All natural attacks start as primary, yet certain attacks (such as claws) become Secondary if they are tagged as such. Secondary attacks take a -5 penalty to hit.

The following are common natural attacks:

Bite: A bite attack deals an amount of piercing damage determined by the beast's size: Fine, 1; Diminutive, 1d2; Tiny, 1d3; Small, 1d4; Medium, 1d6; Large, 1d8; Huge, 2d6; Gargantuan, 3d6; Colossal, 4d6.

Claw (Secondary): A claw attack deals an amount of slashing damage determined by the beast's size: Fine or Diminutive, 1; Tiny, 1d2; Small, 1d3; Medium, 1d4; Large, 1d6; Huge, 1d8; Gargantuan, 2d6; Colossal, 3d6.

Gore: A gore attack deals an amount of piercing damage determined by the beast's size: Fine, 1; Diminutive, 1d2; Tiny, 1d3; Small, 1d4; Medium, 1d6; Large, 1d8; Huge, 2d6; Gargantuan, 3d6; Colossal, 4d6.

Slam: A slam attack deals an amount of bludgeoning damage determined by the beast's size: Fine or Diminutive, 1; Tiny, 1d2; Small, 1d3; Medium, 1d4; Large, 1d6; Huge, 1d8; Gargantuan, 2d6; Colossal, 3d6.

Sting (Secondary): A sting attack deals an amount of piercing damage determined by the beast's size: Fine, 1; Diminutive, 1d2; Tiny, 1d3; Small, 1d4; Medium, 1d6; Large, 1d8; Huge, 2d6; Gargantuan, 3d6; Colossal, 4d6.

Tentacle, Hoof, Wing (Secondary): This attack deals an amount of bludgeoning damage determined by the beast's size: Fine or Diminutive, 1; Tiny, 1d2; Small, 1d3; Medium, 1d4; Large, 1d6; Huge, 1d8; Gargantuan, 2d6; Colossal, 3d6.

Tail Slam, Pincers: This attack deals an amount of bludgeoning damage determined by the beast's size: Fine, 1; Diminutive, 1d2; Tiny, 1d3; Small, 1d4; Medium, 1d6; Large, 1d8; Huge, 2d6; Gargantuan, 3d6; Colossal, 4d6.

Carrying Capacity

Characters have three stages of carrying, plus three additional states - off the ground, over the head, and push/drag. These weight limits are presented in pounds (lbs.). The character's Light Limit deals no penalties to them if the equipment they carry/wear is equal to or less than it, their Medium Limit reduces their speed by half, and their Heavy Limit reduces speed by half and also deals a -5 penalty to the character's Reflex Defense.

• • Light Limit: 10 + (Strength + Constitution) x 10

  • Medium Limit: 10 + (Strength + Constitution) x 20

  • Heavy Limit: 10 + (Strength + Constitution) x 40

  • Over Head: Heavy Limit x 1.5

  • Off the Ground: Heavy Limit x 3

  • Push/Drag: Heavy Limit x 5